Rating: 
Summary: Life gets imperceptibly worse
Review: Oh look, purgatory has an official book-on-tape.
Rating: 
Summary: Amazing
Review: This book is a must have for any Sting fan! He writes of his early years with such colorful detail that you feel as if you are there when he was growing up along the shipyards, delivering milk in the early mornings with his father and later onto his way to fame. Sting never ceases to amaze me with his intelligence and wit.Truly a giftedman.
Rating:
Summary: Broken Music
Review: When Sting announced that he was writing a memoir, like most people we thought that the book would focus on the life of Sting the rock star and of Sting the celebrity. After all, he has sold close to 100 million albums around the world, fronted the most successful band of the early '80s, subsequently pursued a solo career that has outstripped the success of his Police days in album sales, has been a long-time supporter of good causes raising some $18 million for the Rainforest Foundation, and is generally recognised as one of the most famous people on the planet. It was a no-brainer.Except that Sting is a self confessed risk taker. So perhaps we should not be too surprised that his memoir, 'Broken Music', is a product of that risk taking. Instead of opting for the easy route and focusing on the years of fame and success that would have guaranteed wide publicity and huge sales, Sting decided to tell us a much more interesting story. 'Broken Music' is the story of a boy growing to adulthood in an industrial city in northern England; of his relationship with his parents; of first love, lost love, his love of music and where these experiences eventually took him. As with most individuals, certain events from his childhood are not happy memories for Sting. The separation from his friends as a result of passing the "11-plus" exam that sent him to grammar school and the regular canings at school for trivial offences for example are still resented to this day. Like many families at that time, open displays of affection were uncommon in the Sumner household, and Sting is very open and honest in describing both the relationship between his parents and his relationships with each of them. Sting had discovered music at an early age through the family's piano and his parent's record collection and later with a battered old guitar donated by an emigrating uncle. His mid-teens saw him learning guitar licks from records, playing music with his friends at the local YMCA and attending Newcastle's Club a Go-Go, where he witnessed influential appearances by the likes of the Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Jimi Hendrix. 'Broken Music' tells a fascinating tale about Sting's involvement with his early bands, Earthrise, The Phoenix Jazzmen, The Newcastle Big Band and Last Exit and of his time on a cruise ship with the Ronnie Pearson Trio. Relatively little has been known about this period, and to read it in Sting's own words is a real pleasure. The trials and tribulations of Last Exit - including their Spinal Tap propensity for losing guitar players in bizarre circumstances (to local pantomimes) - make fascinating reading, and fans of The Police will love the unique insight into the chance meetings that led to the formation of the band, and of the pivotal moments in the band's early days. 'Broken Music' (the title actually comes from a phrase his grandmother used to describe his early attempts at playing the piano) is a wonderful written memoir. In turns it is sad, wry, often very funny and always interesting. In retrospect it is no great surprise to find that someone with the ability to write lyrics as beautifully as Sting should be able to write so eloquently and descriptively in a longer form such as this. We found our attention gripped throughout its 300 plus pages and are firmly of the view that the risk of telling the story of Sting 'the man' rather than Sting 'the celebrity' was certainly one that paid off. It is a book that provides a genuinely insightful look at the events that shaped the person we hear on the radio and see performing for us on stage. If this is what Sting intended then 'Broken Music' is a complete success.
Rating: 
Summary: Nice Effort, Greedy Editor
Review: I read this book on Christmas Day and finally feel like I can give it a fair review (6 months later.) My problem is that I have enjoyed Sting's music and lyrics from the days of the police, and now I'm amazed at his drive to become a better human being even in light of his wealth and fame. Not everyone would do that...and we have plenty of examples of those who don't. I admire Sting as an artist and a person. However, I did not admire this book. For those who know Sting's lyrics it's obvious he's a deep thinker and knows the artistry of words. However, writing song lyrics is different than writing a book, and memoir seems to be a difficult genre. Not everything happens when narratively convenient, nor progresses in tension or hangs together perfectly. Such is Sting's book. There are moments I was captivated...no matter that it was Sting's life, just that it was someone's life was fascinating. And, quite frankly, there were sections I was bored to sleep. I'm still not sure if some events are in the book or daydreamed by me. Honestly, I think Sting's effort was monumental and I'm irritated at his editor. There are problems, easy to fix that would have made this book a work of art instead of a simple memoir of a famous personality. With a little coaching, Sting may have had a classic book to add to his great works but, as it is, I feel those in the know let him down. He did better than most of us would striving to write down the moments of our lives, but not as well as his editor should have helped him to do. So, I recommend it, but don't expect "Fragile" or "Synchronicity" or anything as artistic as his mesmerizing bass lines. Read it as pop lit by a great artist pushed out by an editor trying to make a Christmas deadline. Than pray for another volume and for Sting to get serious about a writing class or two. Curse that greedy editor.
Rating:
Summary: Like rummaging in the attic of Sting's memory
Review: Imagine yourself leafing through old albums and journals and prying open dusty, secretive, yellowing cardboard boxes with the entire "Soul Cages" album spinning in your mind.
That's what "Broken Music" is to me.
I had thought that I picked up this book because I'm a fan of his music, although I was certain that I would find little reference in this memoir to the music I had grown to love. What I was pleased to discover was that I am more a fan of Sting. This is more like an answer to an unspoken "why;" as you read you will begin to understand Sting's musical motifs far better than if you had simply looked up his bio on any old website. What better way, after all, than to sit at the storyteller's feet?
Reading Sting reminds me in turns of Frank McCourt and James Herriot, with Sting's seeming fascination for "the world behind the world" (to borrow from "Constantine") weaving in and out of his fabric of memory. I began to find this not in his intro about his experience with ayahuasca, but in his passages about his mother and his apprenticeship in tending fire.
Read this not for the music, but for the man.
Rating:
Summary: A very well written book, in my opinion
Review: I bought this book on a whim, when it caught my eye in a local bookstore. Being a musician myself, as well as a Sting and Police fan, I figured it would be a good read. I found it to be just that. I enjoyed his style of prose, his eloquence, and the way he chose to structure the book. After reading it, I found myself wondering about what kind of reviews it might have gotten here at the Amazon.com website. Although I generally find public polls and forums rather disparaging, if not outright loathsome, I have often found Amazon.com's reviews to be very helpful. I was relieved to find most people shared my high opinion of this book. I can't help but be puzzled, though, by some of the negative reviews. Claiming it to be nothing but an ego-fest strikes me as being an ego-driven statement itself, thus rendering it somewhat absurd. Any writing could justifiably be described as being a product of the author's ego; it is, after all, a creation of their own, and generally reflective of the author's views. Instead of taking such a shallow approach, I try to think about the author's intent, and what knowledge and experiences they are sharing. I'm always grateful for their efforts; it takes a special effort to write a book, and I can always appreciate that. That some critics might consider Sting's style of prose pretentious or ego-driven seems to me to be a much stronger statement about their own egos and pretentions, rather than what Sting was really trying to convey. I can't help but be curious as to what books these critics truly like, and why? It's as if they're telling Sting, "You didn't write the book I wanted you to write; I wanted to read something else; therefore this book stinks". I believe the trick to enjoying any book is to try to share the author's frame of mind; try to get on their side of things, rather than be oppositional about their point of view. For me, Sting succeeded in doing just that. As far as the scope of events he chose to write about, and how he chose to interconnect these events and observations, that's totally the author's prerogative. I, too, would have enjoyed hearing the story continue, the details of his life as a "rock star", more about the breakup with Frances and the continuing relationship with Trudie, but that's not what Sting wanted to write about in this book. I also wish he had included pictures, as I find them fascinating in any biography; but aside from the covers, Sting apparently didn't want to put pictures in this book. At least, that's not how he chose to compose this particular book, so instead of complaining about not reading what I wanted to read about, I decided to see just what Sting wanted to write about, and how he wished to convey it. I thought he did an excellent job, and I enjoyed his literary work as much as I enjoy his musical work. I find both to be very well thought-out, artfully composed, and beautifully executed.
Rating: 
Summary: Big Sting fan meets good String book
Review: This is a good read for anyone who has interest in Sting. It is rare that one like him will write a book about themselves and publish it. It is a nice gesture back to us who love his music.
It is an easy and quick read. One thing to note is that it is about the beginnings (i.e. his birth, parents, hometown, early years, all the way up to starting The Police). I wish the book would have continued with information up to the present day, but it does not. Once The Police is formed, and the story is told, the book ends. This is my only problem with the book; I wanted more. In this text you will meet his parents, his home town, and the heart of a young boy who would go on to succeed in the world of music. Of course, this is all from a view of an older man looking back through time-- although it appears Sting did keep some great journals.
Sting looks back at a lot of things that happened in his young life and it begins to feel like a therapy session as we uncover what it all meant to him. For him it probably was therapy; for us, it was a trip down memory lane with one of our favorite musical icons.
All fans should read this book and see the man behind the curtains.
Rating:
Summary: GREAT BOOK
Review: I have to say that "BROKEN MUSIC" is the best music biography I have personally read in years purely because it doesn't follow the paint by numbers philosophy of "how I became a star and why you should love me" writing that many biographies take. Sting has crafted an actual entertaining book that could be about anyone's life, it just happens to be his. It takes the luster off his stardom and ironically propels him further onto a pedestal in my eyes as a result.
Rating:
Summary: FANTASTIC!
Review: Sting is a very gifted song writer and author. The book is grounded in real life, with dysfunctional family circumstances and problems that everyone can relate to. He succesfully translates his memories of a young child into a fascinating tale of a person who is always reinventing himself and writing songs that asks difficult questions that provide the listner with insight and fresh perspectives.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating window into the mind of a brilliant musician
Review: I enjoyed this book immensely. I am a big fan of Sting, and I think one would have to be to really appreciate this book. It is well-written, although obviously Sting is not a professional writer. But I especially enjoyed the insights into how he taught himself to play guitar and bass, and how he began as a song writer. The characters in the book are hilarious, and more than once I found myself laughing out loud. You will find that you have a much better insight into Mr. Sumner's life and his personality after reading this.
|
